Plenty of openings in tour party

IN addition to Simon Geoghegan, prop Nick Popplewell and wing James Topping will not be available for Ireland's tour to New Zealand and Western Samoa next month.

The team manager, Pat Whelan, confirmed yesterday that all three have notified him of their unavailability. While the tour is officially labelled an Ireland A Development squad, the intention is to bring some of the experienced international figures on the trip as well as development players. Facing particularly hard matches against the New Zealand Maoris and Western Samoa, the feeling is that Ireland will need a core of experience

In addition to the unavailability of Geoghegan, Popplewell and Topping, as well as Peter, Clohessy, Eric Miller, Jeremy Davidson and Keith Wood all going with the Lions, if is anticipated that Denis McBride will retire from representative rugby. Replies about their availability are also awaited from some other members of the Ireland squad. I understand, too, that not all the members of the squad this season have been asked about their availability.

The party will be announced this day week but as to who will select it has not been finalised. With the IRFU having opted for a three-man management structure, the third man to join Pat Whelan and coach Brian Ashton has not yet been chosen. The IRFU election subcommittee who select the management team met in Dublin last night to discuss that issue. Whelan and Ashton also met the subcommittee of Eddie Coleman, Syd Millar and Noel Murphy.

The IRFU contracts subcommittee also had a protracted meeting in Dublin yesterday, progressing that vital issue as to who will be offered the contracts for next season and their terms. Up to 100 players could be offered contracts on a tiered basis. In his capacity as manager, Whelan also had an input into the negotiations as, I am sure, did Ashton.

The Irish Universities, who this season won the Triple Crown, will undertake a tour to Australia from July 11th to August 8th.

Former international referee John West (Dublin University) will be tour manager, with Ray Patterson (Queen's University) as coach and Len Harty (UCC) the medical officer.

This will be the fourth major overseas tour undertaken by the Universities. They have toured New Zealand, Japan and, most recently, South Africa three years ago.